The present invention relates to a miniature high power flashlight, and, more particularly, to a flashlight which is small in size and still produces a relatively high intensity of light.
Most flashlights comprise a cylindrical housing containing one or more batteries therein, a cap on one end of the housing containing a light source, such as a bulb or light emitting diode, a reflector and a lens cover over the light source. The light source is electrically connected in series with the batteries so that it can be turned on and off. Generally, some type of switch is provided to turn the light source on and off. To achieve more power ad a stronger light, the flashlight is generally provided with two or more batteries in series and/or larger size batteries. The larger the number of batteries used to obtain an increase in power, the larger the housing that is required.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,911,497 to Scott A. Mele, issued Jun. 15, 1999 and entitled MULTI-BATTERY FLASHLIGHT, there is shown and disclosed a flashlight in which the batteries are mounted in side-by-side relation rather than in end-to-end relation. Although this provides a multi-battery flashlight for achieving a higher power of light and a shorter housing, the body of the flashlight is relatively larger in circumference. Therefore, it would be desirable to have a high power flashlight which is short in length and also relatively small in circumference.
A flashlight which includes a housing having a battery containing portion and a light source containing portion. The battery containing portion is substantially triangular in transverse cross-section with rounded corners forming within the battery containing portion a battery chamber at each of the corners. The battery containing portion has a closed back end and an open front end. The light source containing portion is cylindrical and is integral with and extends from the open end of the battery containing portion. The axis of the light source containing portion is in alignment with one of the battery chambers in the battery containing portion. The battery containing portion is adapted to contain three batteries, one in each battery chamber, and the light source containing oration is adapted to contain means for generating light when connected in series with the batteries. A cap is threaded on the light source containing portion and is adapted to turn on the light generating means for generating light when connected in series with the batteries. A cap is threaded on the light source containing portion and is adapted to run on the light generating means when threaded onto the light source containing portion and turn off the light generating means when threaded in the opposite direction so as to turn the flashlight on and off.